Title

Author

Date of Award

12-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

Advisor

Dr. Michael Brooks

Abstract

This research project was designed to add to the limited available research concerning the effectiveness of single-sex education within a public elementary school setting. Following the first year of implementation of a single-sex classroom pilot program, the effects by gender of classroom grouping (single-sex education versus coeducation) on reading and math achievement were investigated for three consecutive grade levels from second grade through fourth grade.

This research project was designed to add to the limited available research concerning the effectiveness of single-sex education within a public elementary school setting. Following the first year of implementation of a single-sex classroom pilot program, the effects by gender of classroom grouping (single-sex education versus coeducation) on reading and math achievement were investigated for three consecutive grade levels from second grade through fourth grade.

The sample for this study included matched pairs of students from single-sex classes and coeducational classes. The researcher used pairs of students who were matched by grade level, gender, socio-economic status, and previous year’s performance levels (below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced) in both literacy and math.

A 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA was used to analyze the data collected for each of the six hypotheses. The results of this study showed no significant interaction effects between students participating in coeducational classrooms and those participating in single-sex classrooms by gender for the six hypotheses. In addition, the study found no significant main effect of type of classroom through the hypotheses. However, a significant gender difference, favoring boys, was seen in second grade math, and a significant gender difference, favoring girls, was seen in third grade literacy.